The right-footed dream team

Perhaps, but the vast majority of players throughout history have favoured their right foot, so by the law of averages if nothing else, a team of righties has to beat a team of lefties, right?

True: the left-footed ranks boast dead ball masters like Roberto Carlos and close control dribblers like Messi and Robben, but their right-footed equivalents aren’t exactly obscure no-namers.

Beckham’s right foot was every bit as sweet as his former running mate at Real Madrid, and George Best – a right footer, despite often drifting in from the left for United – could beat players all day long.

Honestly, we’re spoilt for choice in this team, to the extent that we’ve taken the precaution of discounting any of those players – or, as they ought to be known, freaks – who were somehow equally effective with both feet (among them Pele, Zidane and Bobby Charlton).